September 23, 2016
Maranga Mai way forward says Davis
Te Taitokerau MP Kelvin Davis says a meeting in Paihia today is critical for the future of Ngapuhi.
Negotiating body Tuhoronuku is considering is response to the Maranga Mai report, which calls for it to hand over its mandate to a new hapu-driven organisation.
So far Tuhoronuku has said it’s happy for hapu to have a greater role but not if it means tribe members living elsewhere lose their voice, and not if it means any settlement being broken up into pieces.
Mr Davis says it needs to accept Maranga Mai, which was a collaboration between Tuhoronuku, its Te Kotahitanga opponents and the Office of Treaty Settlements.
"They were tasked to go out and find a way forward for Ngapuhi. The Maranga Mai report is the pathway forward. The crown has accepted all the recommendations. Te Kotahitanga has accepted all the recommendations. It’s now up to Tuhoronuku who are dragging the chain, and they have their reasons and they believe they are valid but I sincerely hope they accept it and let’s get on with it and settle," he says.
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